Benjamin Obadiah Foster: Manhunt continues for ‘extremely dangerous’ kidnapping suspect, Oregon police say

CNN
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A massive, multi-day manhunt continues for a suspect accused of brutally beating and kidnapping a woman in Oregon who remains in critical condition, police say.

While Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, has eluded capture since Tuesday, police say he is still active on dating apps. The Grants Pass Police Department warns it could use the apps to find potential new victims or manipulate them to help it escape.

State and local investigators have been working “around the clock” to locate Foster, who is wanted on suspicion of attempted murder, kidnapping and assault, Grants Pass Police Chief Warren said. Hensmann.

Investigators have been searching for Foster since Tuesday after finding a woman bound and beaten unconscious at a residence in Grants Pass, police said. The suspect, identified by investigators as Foster, had already fled by the time police arrived, the department said.

Prosecutors accuse Foster of attempting to kill the victim while “intentionally torturing” her, according to charging documents obtained by CNN affiliate KDRV. Hensman said Thursday that the victim endured the alleged abuse for “a long period of time.”

“I am disgusted by what I know has happened. It was an evil act,” Hensman said Thursday.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where she is in critical condition, police said on Sunday. As of Thursday, police were providing security for the victim, according to Hensman.

Police said Foster “probably received help fleeing the area.” A 68-year-old woman was arrested for “obstructing prosecution” as authorities searched for Foster, the department said.

Police are urging the public to send in information about the suspect’s whereabouts or any potential sightings. In a statement on Sunday, the department said people should pay close attention to his eyes and facial structure, as they believe he may be trying to alter his appearance by changing the cut or color of his hair and beard.

In the statement, police said people should not approach the “extremely dangerous suspect” and should instead call 911 immediately. Authorities said Foster may be armed.

The department has set up a tip line and is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to Foster’s capture and prosecution.

“This is an all hands on deck operation and we won’t rest until we capture this man,” Hensman said Thursday.

At a press conference Thursday, Hensman said he was “troubled” by Foster’s history of domestic violence and assault, which is detailed in court records.

Between 2017 and 2019, Foster was charged in two separate cases in which he was accused of assaulting women in Las Vegas, according to Clark County court records.

In the first case, Foster was charged with assault and battery constituting domestic violence, records show. Foster’s ex-girlfriend testified in a preliminary hearing that he tried to strangle her on Christmas Eve 2017 after seeing another man text her.

While that case was still pending, Foster was charged with felony assault, battery and kidnapping for alleged abuse of his then-girlfriend in 2019, according to charging documents.

The victim told police “Foster choked her unconscious several times” and kept her tied up for most of the next two weeks. She said she was only able to escape after convincing Foster they needed to go shopping for food and water, and fled when he came out of the car to let their dog use the bathroom, according to court records.

The woman was able to run through a store and into a nearby apartment complex, where someone offered to take her to hospital, according to a Las Vegas police report. There she was found to have seven broken ribs, two black eyes and abrasions to her wrists and ankles after being tied up, according to the report.

Foster accepted plea deals in both cases. In the first case, he was sentenced to a maximum of 30 months in prison but credited with 729 days served.